Oyster-opener.



' Patented Aug. 10,1909.4

s sums-SHEET 1.

P LEKAM OYSTBR OPENER.

APPLICATION FILED JUNB4 1909 i5.: y I i :i 1 y P. LEKAM.

OYSTBR OPENER.

APPLICATION FILED JUNI: 4, 1909.

lPatented Aug. 10, 1909.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

nenfoz W wf ANDREW. n. Gamm cm mruunmmrllils. wAswNnTon. D. l:

Pl OYS'I'ER OPENER. APPLIUATION FILED JUNM. 1909.

930,771 Patented Aug, 10, 1909.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

.35 I 4--I-i- 70 @M2M/tor,

PHILIP LEKAM, OF FLANAGINTWN, TRINIDAD, BRITISH WEST INDIES.

oYs'rER-OPENER.

ivo. 930,771.

Specification of Letters) Patent.

Patented Aug. 10, 1909.

AppIication filed June 4.-, 1909. Serial No. 600,135.

.To all whom t may concern: Be it known that I, PHILIP LEKAM, a subjectof the King of England, residing at Flanagin Town, in the Island ofTrinidad,

British West Indies, haveinvented certaink new and useful Improvementsin Oyster- Openers; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full,clear, and exactv description of the invention, such as will enableothers skilled in the art to which it make and use the same.

This invention relates to mechanism for removing the shells frombivalves and is preferably termed an oyster opener.

One object of the invention is to improve the general construction ofdevices of this character so that oysters and-other shell fish of likekind may be readily opened.

Another object of the invention is to provide a mechanism of thisdescription with means whereby the edge of the shell may be rasped priorto theintroduction of the opening implement.

A third object of the invention is to provide a novel form of holdingclamp together with improved means for adjusting the 'same in order tosecure the oyster in position to be operated upon.

With the above and other objects in view the invention consists ingeneral of an improved mechanism including a` rasp, an

opener and an improved form .of device and adjusting means therefor.

The invention further consists in certain novel details of constructionand combinations of arts hereinafter fully described, illustrated) inthe accompanying drawings, and specifically set forth in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, like characters of reference indicatellike parts in the' several views, and:-Figure 1 is a side elevation ofan oyster opener constructed in accordance with this invention. Fig. 2vis a front elevationpthereof.l Fig..3 is a side ele,- vation partly insection of such device. Fig. 4 is a section on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3l

The numeral 10 indicates the base of this device and on this base ismounted a standard 11 which is providedat its upper end with a forwardlydirected extension 12 having a bearing 13 formed therethrough forthe 1reception of a shaft 14 and this bearing is reduced Where it extendsthrough the standard 11 so that the reduced portion 15 of saidappertains to shaft may pass therethrough and be prevented fromlongitudinal movement in one direction by means of the standard betweenthe reduced portion and the top of the shaft. U on the reduced portion15 and to the rear o the standard 11 is iiXed a segmental gear 16 and tothe rear of this segmental gear a crank 17 is also iiXed upon this shaftso that asthey crank is turned the shaft is rotated. The opposite orforward end of this shaft 13 is provided with a reduced portion 18whereon is fiXedly mounted al disk 19 provided arounda portion of itsperiphery with serrations 20 and this disk is preferably in the form ofa torus. Projecting from the disk 2() is a .curved arm 21 and upon theend of this arm is formed a cordate point 22.

The standard 11 has a broadened foot as indicated at 23 and through thisbroadened foot extends an opening24wherein is held a shaft 25 having areduced end 26 whereon is mounted a segmental gear 27. The standard 11is further provided with a threaded aperture 28 and through thisthreaded aperture extends a thumb screw 29 provided with a centralportion whereon is mounted a gear 30 which ordinarily meshes with thegears 16 and 27. By means of this arrangement of gearing the thumb screw29 may be rotated to permit the gear 30 being slid out of engagementwith the gears 16 and 27 so that the relative positions of these gearsmay be adjusted as occasion requires and when the gear 30` is again slidinto mesh the rotation of the crank 17 will cause the shafts 25 and 14to simultaneously rotate in the same direction and in a predeterminedrelation.

Upon the base 10 is formed a bearing 31 and the shaft 25 has a reducedportion 32 which extends from the foot 23 to the bearing 31 where theshaft is again reduced as at 33 and is received in'this bearing 31.Between the bearing31 and the foot 23 there is mounted upon the shaft 32a yoke 34 provided with upstanding arms 35 between which 4extends a rackbar 36. Slidably mounted u on the rack bar 36 is a sleeve 37 and rotataly and slidably supported in this sleeve is a shaft 38 rovided with acrank 39. Secured upon thes iaft 38 is a gear 40 adapted to mesh withthe rack 36 and surrounding the shaft 38 is a spring 41 whichrordinarilyholds said gear out of mesh with the gear 36. Slidably mounted in thesleeve 37 is the stem 42 of a vise base 43 provided with a pair of'spaced upstanding bearings 44 through which extends a screw 45 andbetween these bearings there is mounted on this screw a nut 46 therotation of which causes the screw to move longitudinally through thebearings. The stem 42 is provided on one of its bases with a rack 47which ordinarily meshes with the gear 40. Mounted upon one of themembers 44 is a vise member 48 which extends upwardly and terminates ina bulbous jaw provided with a pair of spaced cusps and this jaw with thecusps has a serrated face. Fixed upon the screw 45 is a block 49 whichis arranged to slide over he surface of the member 43 and upon thisblock is mounted a vise jaw 50 of the same construction and arrangementas the vise jaw 43.

ln the operation of this device the oyster is grasped between the twojaws 43 and 50 and. the crank 39 pushed in against the action of thespring 41 so that the coil 40 is brought into mesh with the rack 46until the oyster is in the proper position beneath the disk 19 when thecrank is released and the sleeve 37 locked in position by means of athumb screw 5l which projects through the sleeve and bears against therack bar 36. vWhen the crank has been released so that the gear 40meshes with the r yck 47 the crank is again rotated until the oyster ispressed against the serrated surface of the disk 19 when the crank 17 isrotated. The rotation of this crank 17 sweeps the oyster across themoving serrated disk and brings it into position so that the point 22can enter between the shells and force them apart. This is accomplishedby reason of the fact that as the crank 17 is moved the entire viseswings around with the shaft 25 to bring the other edge of the oyster inthe path of thepoint 22. The opening` operation may, if desired, beassisted by the crank 39 being rotated to move the vise up. In order topermit the effective operation of the point 22 the vise members 48 and50 have their shanks reduced so that they are capable of a certainamount of resiliency without destroying their holding qualities.

There has thus been provided a simple and efficient device of the kinddescribed and for the purpose specified.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new, is

1. In a device of the kind described, a swinging vise, a swingingopener, and means to cause said vise and opener to move synchronously.

2. In a device of the kind described, a swinging vise, mechanism to movesaid vise in coordinate directions, a swinging opener, and means tocause said vise and opener to move synchronously.

3. ln a device of the kind described, a swinging vise, a swinging openerincluding a rasp and an opening point, and means to cause said vise andopener to move synchronously.

4. ln a device of the kind described, a swinging vise, mechanism to movesaid vise in coordinate directions, a swinging opener including a raspand a point, and means to cause said vise and opener to movesynchronously.

5. ln a device of the kind described, a swinging vise, a swingingopener, and means to cause said vise and opener to move synchronouslyincluding a shaft carrying said opener, a second shaft carrying saidvise, gears on the first and second shaft, an idler gear meshing withsaid gears and a crank on one of said shafts to rotate the same.

G. ln a device of the kind described, a swinging vise, mechanism to movesaid yisc inv co 'irdinate directions, a swinging opener, and means tocause said vise and opener to move synchronously including a shaftcarrying said opener, a second shaft carrying said vise, gears on thefirst and second shaft, an idler gear meshing with said gears and aycrank on one of said shafts to rotate thc same.

7. In a device of the kind described, a swinging vise, a swinging openerincluding a rasp and an opening point and means to cause said vise andopener to move synchronously including a shaft carrying said oj'iencr, asecond shaft carrying said vise, gears on the Afirst and second shaft,an idler gear meshing with said gears and a crank on one of said shaftsto rotate the saine.

3. in a device of the kind described, a swinging vise, mechanism to movesaid vise in coordinate directions, a swinging opener including a raspand a point, and means to cause said vise and opener to movesynchronously including a shaft carrying said opener, a second shaftcarrying said vise, gears on the first and second shaft, an idler gearmeshing with said gears and a crank on one of said shafts to rotate thesame.

9. ln a device of the kind described, a swinging vise, mechanism to movesaid vise in coordinate directions, said mechanism including a piyotallymounted yoke provided. with spaced arms, a rack held between said arms,a sleeve slidable on said rack, a stem formed on the vise projectingthrough the sleeve, a rack formed on said stem, a shaft passing throughsaid sleeve and rotatable and slidable therein, a crank on said shaft, agear fixed on said shaft and adapted to mesh with either of said racksas the shaft is slid in the sleeve and a .spring normally holding thegear in mesh with the rack of the stem a swinging opener, and means tocause said vise and opener to move synchronously.

10. In a device of the kind described, a swinging vise, mechanism tomove said vise in coordinate directions, said mechanism including apivotally mounted yoke provided with spaced arms, a rack held betweensaid arms, a sleeve slidable on said rack, a stem formed on the viseprojecting through the sleeve, a rack formed on said stem, a shaftpassing through said sleeve and rotatable and slidable therein, a crankon said shaft, a gear fixed on said shaft and adapted to mesh witheither of said racks as the shaft is slid in the sleeve and a springnormally holding the gear in mesh with the rack of the stem; a swingingopener including a rasp and a point, and means to cause said vise andopener to move synchronously.

11. In a device of the kind described, a swinging vise, mechanism tomove said vise in`cordinate directions, said mechanism including apivotally mounted yoke provided with spaced arms, a rack held betweensaid arms, a sleeve slidable on said rack, a stem formed on the viseprojecting through the sleeve, a rack formed on said stem, a shaftpassing through said sleeve and rotatable and slidable therein, a crankyon said shaft, a gear fixed on said shaft and adapted to mesh witheither of said racks as the shaft is slid in the sleeve and a springnormally holding the gear in mesh with the rack of the stem; a swingingopener, and means to cause said vise and opener to move synchronouslyincluding a shaft carrying said opener, a second @saver s shaft, anidler gear meshing with said gears and a crank on one of said shafts torotate the same.

12. In a device of the kind described, a swinging vise, mechanism tomove said vise in cordinate directions, said mechanism including apivotally mounted yoke provided with spaced arms, a rack held betweensaid arms, a sleeve slidable on said rack, a stem formed on the viseprojecting through the sleeve, a rack formed on said stem, a shaftpassing through said sleeve and rotatable and slidable therein, a crankon said shaft, a gear fixed on said shaft and adapted to mesh witheither of said racks as the shaft is slid in the sleeve and a springnormally holding the gear in mesh with the rack of the stem; a swingingopener including a rasp and a point, and means to cause said vise and oener to move synchronously including a s aft carrying said opener, asecond shaft carrying said vise, gears on the first and second shaft, anidler gear meshing with said gears and a crank on one of said shafts torotate the same.

In testimony whereof, I affix my signature, in presence of twowitnesses.

PHILIP LEKAM.

Witnesses: CHAs. A. DIAZ, S. WEsTMoRE JAMES.

